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Companies investigated for Odebrecht case received new contracts from Petroecuador
Posted On 19 Feb 2019
Ecuadornews:
The Esmeralda companies Vladmau Construcciones S.A. and Professionals in Industrial Maintenance (Promanti), investigated for corruption in the Odebrecht issue, have just received new contracts at the Esmeraldas Refinery, granted by EP Petroecuador, for $ 3.6 million.
The subject was denounced in the journalistic portal La Fuente. This newspaper received confirmation from EP Petroecuador that both companies were hired, despite the legal problems they have.
According to documents published by La Fuente, Vladmau was awarded a contract to repair the refractory in equipment of the catalytic cracking section of the FCC unit of the REE, for $ 1.5 million.
Meanwhile, Promanti was awarded two works on January 21, 2019. These are the mechanical repair of the V-H1 furnace, for $ 1.2 million, and for the maintenance and repair of equipment and systems of the crude units, empty and visbreaking 1 of the REE, in the amount of $ 941,581.
The contracted works would be carried out during the scheduled strike of March 2019.
The contracts were concluded as part of the work that must be done after the failures that the Refinery presents, within the failed process of repowering, which cost the country about $ 2.3 billion.
This newspaper also learned that the WWE Consortium, made up of three companies, Legadoil, Vladmau and Promanti, received millionaire contracts within the process of Repowering and Sustaining the Refinery Program.
Meanwhile, in the case of money laundering related to Odebrecht, the company Vladmau was raided and in one of its offices in Esmeraldas an employee was found burning documents; few were recovered. The Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE) also reported to the Consortium having participated in transactional movements related to companies of the former manager of the Álex Bravo Refinery.
In the judicial process due to illicit association of Odebrecht, the representative of Vladmau, Vladimir Sper, acknowledged that money was given to Ramiro Carrillo, ex-manager of Transporte de Petroecuador, convicted of this crime, and he billed for services that never existed. The representatives of Vladmau and Promanti were dismissed in the case of money laundering.
According to the Tecnatom audit report endorsed by UNDP, the WWE consortium received 18.1 million contracts in the Plant Sustainability Plan. While Promanti received contracts for $ 21.9 million within the Sustainability program.
This newspaper looked for the representatives of both companies to know their criteria, but they did not answer. In addition, Petroecuador promised to give its version of the topic, but until the end of this edition the answer did not arrive. (I)
